German index provider Solactive invests in UK proxy firm Minerva Analytics May 27, 2019 German index provider Solactive has taken a stake in UK proxy firm Minerva Analytics. The deal will allow Minerva, which is based in Essex, to expand its research and client service capability through Solactive’s offices in Frankfurt, Hong Kong and Toronto. Read more: Interserve wins support of another proxy adviser as crunch vote beckons Minerva, [...]
Triton in talks with Thomas Cook over offer for Nordic arm May 23, 2019 Thomas Cook Group has been approached by buyout firm Triton about a potential takeover of its Nordic airline and tour operator. Triton is in early-stage talks with the travel agent about a deal, Thomas Cook confirmed today. Read more: Thomas Cook share price drops after agencies downgrade credit rating The sale, which would see Thomas [...]
The Body Shop owner Natura buys beauty brand Avon for £1.6bn May 23, 2019 Natura & Co, the Brazilian owner of the Body Shop, has bought direct-selling beauty brand Avon for $2bn (£1.6bn). A new Brazilian holding company, Natura Holding, has been established as part of the deal and the combined group is expected to have annual gross revenues of more than $10bn with more than 200m customers globally. Read [...]
Pret A Manger eats Eat but vows to go veggie in new stores May 22, 2019 Sandwich chain Pret A Manger said today it has agreed to buy rival British chain Eat. Pret plans to convert as many of Eat’s shops as possible to Pret stores serving vegetarian food in response to what it said was a growing consumer demand for more vegan and vegetarian options on the high street. Pret’s chief [...]
Share’s stock tumbles after Interactive Investor abandons takeover May 9, 2019 Interactive Investor has abandoned a possible bid for Share causing the brokerage firm’s stock to plummet this morning. The investment platform said it had been in early stage discussions after approaching Share, which owns The Share Centre, but had decided not to make an offer. Read more: Interactive Investor approaches Share for takeover talks Share’s [...]
Provident Financial says hostile bidder Non-Standard Finance is overvalued May 8, 2019 Provident Financial today said it had concerns about the valuation of Non-Standard Finance (NSF) which is trying to take it over. Provident said it had concerns NSF was undercapitalised, it said NSF’s business was facing “significant headwinds”, it said there was an overly positive perspective on NSF’s headline financial performance and said NSF was overvalued [...]
Vodafone Australia and TPG shares crash after regulator blocks merger in website blunder May 8, 2019 Australia’s competition regulator has blocked a proposed AU$15bn (£8.1bn) merger between TPG Telecom and Vodafone Australia after a botched announcement that sent shares crashing. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) last year launched a probe into the planned deal, warning it may harm competition in the country’s telecoms market, and was due to publish [...]
Interactive Investor approaches Share for takeover talks May 3, 2019 Investment platform Interactive Investor has approached broking firm Share to discuss a potential takeover offer. Shares’ stock price soared as much as 22 per cent to 37.7p this morning following the announcement, reaching its highest value in almost four years. Read more: Interactive Investor set to pay £40m for Alliance Trust Savings Interactive Investor has made [...]
Sanlam UK boosts assets under management with Thesis acquisition April 29, 2019 Sanlam UK has acquired UK asset manager Thesis in a “milestone” deal, which will add £1.2bn to its assets under management (AUM). The firm has bought Thesis’ private client business, distribution network, direct support teams and its financial planning business Pallant for an undisclosed sum. Read more: Man Group poaches Sanlam Four's strategic bond fund [...]
RPC Group clears another hurdle to selling company to Berry Global as EU regulators approve £3.3bn deal April 25, 2019 Packaging giant RPC Group has taken a step closer to tying up its sale to US counterpart Berry Global, after the European Commission cleared the acquisition yesterday. Read more: Berry Global snatches RPC buyout from private equity firm Apollo Regulators ruled that the £3.3bn takeover “would raise no competition concerns given the limited horizontal overlaps [...]